Thill-coupling



(No Model.)

H. B. PRATT.

THILL COUPLING.

No. 317,849. Patented May 12, 1885.

y d I WITJVESSES ATENT rrrca,

HENRY BAKER PRATT, OF GONGORDVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

THlLL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 317,849, dated May 12, 1885.

Application filed June 14, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY B. PRATT, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Ooncordville, in the county of Delaware and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thill-Oouplings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention is a thill-coupling; and it consists in the improvements hereinafter described, whereby the clip may be readily secured to the axle and the shaft attached to the thill-loops.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure l is a plan view illustrating my improvement. Fig. 2 is an inverted plan. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section. Fig. at is a transverse section through the thill-loop, and Fig. 5 is a detailed perspec tive View of the clip-plates and securing devices.

The clipA consists, preferably, of a casting, yoke-shaped, as shown, embracing the shaft B, and provided with the depending arms a, extending below the under side of the shaft and through perforations in a tie-plate, G. Grooves or channels are made in the sides of the projecting portions of the arm a, so that tapering keys b may be inserted longitudinally and wedged between the projecting portions of the arms a and the grooved face of the tie-plate G. The thill-loop D extends from the front portion of the casting, and is provided centrally with a recess, which extends longitudinally through the frame. The front portion of the loop D is cut away centrally to receive a shank, 0, formed at the rear portion of the shaft E. The upper portion of the said loop is cut away longitudinally, which establishes a communication with the central opening, beginning from the circular perforated end d, and continuing through the opposite circular perforated end, 65.

A cylindrical pin, F, is formed integrally and transversely at the rear of the shank portion 0, and is of such dimension as to permit it to bear snugly in the central longitudinal opening of the thill-loop D.

The circular perforated ring d is interiorly threaded to engage the threaded portion of a head, 6, provided with a tapering socket, 6,

adapted to receive the tapering end f of the cylindrical pin F. The other end of said pin F is externally threaded, to engage the interior threaded socket, g, of a cap, 9, the end of the longitudinal opening in the loop D flaring slightly at the point where the cap g is located.

The shaft E is provided with an enlargemcnt, G, which forms upon its upper and lower sides bearing-faces for curved metallic sections h h, which embrace a portion of the loop D, thereby covering the cutaway portions, of the same, and excluding dust, &c.

WVhen the coupling is to be effected, the shaft E is held in a vertical position and the pin F introduced longitudinally into the central opening of the loop D, the shank portion 0 moving along the channel or groove out in the upper portion of the said loop until the said shank portion arrives opposite the front cut-away portion, when the pin F and shaft E can be moved to the position illustrated in Fig. 8.

The cap 6 can be readily adjusted in the ring (1, so as to present an end bearing that cannot be forced out while the other cap can be turned to advance or retract the same to compensate for the wear of the same, while the retention of the said cap in position is effected by the said shank 0 bearing in the front cut-away portion, as before described.

I claim- 1. The combination, in a thill-coupling, of a clip provided with a loop having a central longitudinal opening, a shaft provided integrally with a pin and shank, as described, the said pin being adapted to be introduced in said central opening in the manner specified, a cap attached by screw-threads to the end of the loop and receiving loosely one end of the pin, and a cap resting in the other end of the loop, and engaging the other end of the pin I by become wedged between the projecting 10 by screw-threads, substantially as set forth. portions of said arms and the tie-plate, sub- 2. The combination, in a shill-coupling constantially as and for the purpose set forth. structed and operating substantially as de- In testimony whereof I affix my signature 5 scribed, of a clip provided integrally with the in presence of two Witnesses.

depending arms a, a tie-plate through which HENRY BAKER PRATT.

said arms project, key-bars b b, adapted to be \Vitnesses: inserted longitudinally in notched portions J. SERGEANT, of the projecting ends of the arms a, and there- A. RUPERT. 

